Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c13.610

c13.610

It seems that the vows were incorporated in the Purāṇas to wean away the people from tāntric influences,¹¹ and in the process many tāntric and non-āryan rituals were brāhmaṇised. The vratas came to occupy a large place in the religious life of the peasantry and consumed a good amount of their time and earnings. Probably in the beginning some of these could be performed by the peasants themselves, but gradually the brāhmaṇas intervened for which they had to be paid. Several vratas involved homa which could be performed only by the brāhmaṇas.¹ Since most vows were tithi vratas,² people also needed the help of astrologers who could tell the exact duration of lunar days. Generally the brāhmaṇa acted as both priest and astrologer.